


Keep Holding On

by DarkAlpha67



Series: Mia & William Chronicles [4]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternative Season 7 Flashforward, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Arrow (TV 2012) Season 7, Badass Queen Kids, Big Brother Will, Crying, F/M, Gen, Kid sister Mia, Love, Mia's Middle Name, Nyssa trained Mia and William, Pov William Clayton, Sibling Bonding, Sweet Mia, Will is 13 years older than Mia, Will loves his family, William was there, dad!Oliver, mom!Felicity, oliver leaves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-09
Updated: 2019-12-09
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:40:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,413
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21732382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkAlpha67/pseuds/DarkAlpha67
Summary: Alternative Universe:What if: Will went with Oliver and Felicity when they left Star City.
Relationships: Oliver Queen/Felicity Smoak, William Clayton & Felicity Smoak, William Clayton & Mia Smoak, William Clayton & Oliver Queen
Series: Mia & William Chronicles [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1539043
Comments: 10
Kudos: 141





	Keep Holding On

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone. Crisis has started. And this fic resulted as a form of comfort.
> 
> Information might have been altered but I try to stay true to canon.
> 
> I Apologize for any mistakes, this like all my other fics are unbeta-ed.

Will sat outside in the kitchen, Felicity’s screams and forceful grunts as she complied with the nurses continuous urges to push echoing through the cabin. He wanted to be in there with her, to hold her hand but both she and dad told him to remain here, that he wouldn’t want to see it.

“It will be ultra-gross, buddy. All those fluids and—“ She’d cut off, wincing as another contraction hit. “You don’t want to see it, trust me.”

It felt like hours, and then, he heard it.

The loud high pitched wails. He froze, shocked by the volume and the sound itself. For so long all he’d been focusing on was Felicity and now...

He heard a door creak open. Heard the heavy, exhausted thudding of boots. He turned, brown eyes wide and eager as they met his father’s teary blue orbs. His breath was lodged in his throat, blocking and all words from being spoken. Then, a smile so wide broke out across his dad’s face, and William found his lips mirroring the action.

“You ready?” His dad asked.

Not needing to be asked twice, William jumped up from the seat, his legs shaking, remnants of the nervous pacing and bouncing it had previous been forced to do to calm Will down. His dad’s warm, large hand fell on his shoulder, arm wrapping around him as he guided Will to the door.

The nurse was fussing over Felicity.

There was so much unmentionable fluids and colors staining the bedding, but Will didn’t care about that. His attention zeroed in on his stepmom were she rested, leaning back against pillows.

Blue eyes, lighter and lidded with exhaustion lifted off the squirming bundle in her arm. The smile on her lips widened at the sight of him and Will’s feet carried him over without guidance from his dad. His gaze left Felicity, dropping onto the tiny human in her embrace.

“This is Mia… Your baby sister.” Felicity spoke softly.

“Hey, Mia.” Will said, lowering himself down beside Felicity.

As if recognizing her name, or maybe his voice, Mia shifted, her little head nuzzling Felicity. Her small lips parted and her eyes moved, but they remained closed. Slowly, cautiously, William reached out, forefinger pointed out, aiming. He touched Mia’s fragile hand. Her fingers parted and curled around his single digit, and he felt her squeeze.

His heart warmed at her response and the squeeze that followed ignited a burst of protectiveness. He felt its strength and knew then, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that he would protect her with everything in him.

“Will.” His dad sat down on the bed, facing him and Felicity.

William forced his eyes away from Mia but he didn’t dare remove his finger.

“Felicity and I talked and,” His dad met his stepmom’s gaze for a moment before they turned to him, smiling lovingly. “We were hoping you would pick out her second name.”

His eyes widened. “Really?”

“Of course. She’s your baby sister, it’s only right.” Felicity said.

“Uh—“ Will looked back down at Mia, mind racing as thousands upon thousands of names rushing through his memories, all making associations after associations.

His dad started saying, “You don’t have to decide now—“

“Star.” Will cut him off.

His parents’ eyes snapped to him, matching frowns of confusion.

“Star?” Felicity repeated.

She wasn’t judging, he could tell. She was asking.

Will nodded, swallowing before he said. “When… When I was living with my grandparents, I used to look up at the sky and see all these stars and it would bring me comfort.” He looked to Felicity. “I remembered how we used to look at the stars and you once said, how the universe is infinite, and that regardless of where we were, your love and dad’s love for me would never fade. That as long as a single star twinkled in the sky, I should know that you two loved me and were thinking about me.” He blinked back tears and looked down at Mia. “I want her to know she is loved.”

“She knows that, buddy.” His dad sniffed, reaching out to cup his cheek.

“I know. But now she’d never doubt it because it’s in her name. Like Queen and Smoak.” He looked at them.

Names meant the world to him. The memories of his mom lived on through his name. He had once been asked if he wanted to change his last name and he had refused point blank.

“It’s beautiful, William.” Felicity was crying, her tears running down her face. “Mia Star Smoak-Queen. It’s perfect.”

Will grinned, leaning into his dad’s hand when it dropped to give his shoulder a squeeze.

*

“Why do you have to leave?” Will demanded. Angry tears burned his cheeks as they ran down his face.

“I don’t have a choice, buddy.”

“Yes, you do! You can choose to stay with us, your family!” Felicity’s grip on his shoulder were the only thing holding him back to punching his dad in the chest, repeatedly. “I just got you back! Mia needs you, mom needs you, you can’t leave us!”

“I’m so sorry, William.” Was all his dad could say, his voice breaking.

“It’s time.” Came the cool and calm voice.

Will looked over his shoulder to glare venomously at the tall, cloaked figure who had invaded his home, who was taking away his father. The very sight of the man filled Will with barely-controllable hatred and anger.

His dad turned to look over his shoulder, body visibly slumping. Will managed to wiggle out from Felicity’s hold, hearing her gasp a second before he slammed into a solid body, arms curling around his dad’s waist, fingers clutching, face burying into his dad’s chest. He felt his dad’s embrace envelope him and a moment later, another body joined, leaving Will enclosed and cocooned.

“Take care of each other, okay. I love you guys. Never forget that.” His dad cried.

“Never.” Felicity vowed.

Will’s shoulders shook as he cried. Words burned away in his throat before they could be spoken but he squeezed his dad, knowing he would understand.

“I have to go.”

Felicity’s hands were the only thing that manage to extricate Oliver from Will’s hold. She moved to curl his arms wrap himself, wrapping hers around his, holding him against her chest as they watched his dad turn and walk away. Blue eyes peaked over shaking shoulders, swimming in tears before they and his dad vanished around the corner. There was a faint gush of air.

And then.

Silence.

Will turned and he and Felicity fell into each other’s arms.

Their cries were the only sound in the house. Their pain infiltrated the once joyous moment, the one happy bubble they had been in.

“It’s okay, it’s gonna be okay.” Felicity kept saying into his hair.

And for the first time since knowing her, he doubted her promise.

*

“Will, this is Nyssa Al Ghul.”

His arm, which was wrapped around Mia tightened as his little sister buried her face in his side.

“Hello, William. Mia.” The English accent made the woman seem calm. Her dark eyes assessed them both and Will glared. “I knew you father. I knew the hero he was. It is an honor to meet you both.”

They didn’t say anything.

Felicity sighed and moved to stand beside Will, her hand falling on his shoulder, squeezing gently. He forced himself not to lean into the touch.

“I can’t protect you guys. Not the way I want to know.” Felicity spoke, her voice remorseful but firmer. The firmness had been there when she and Will had been in WitSec, and now it was back, only harsher than before, because unlike last time, Oliver won’t be coming back.

“I called Nyssa and asked if she could train you.” Blue eyes met his. “So that you can protect yourself, should anything happen to me.”

Panic claimed him. “What do you mean—“

“Just in case.” Felicity cut him off gently. “It’s a precaution.”

Will knew that word intimately.

They, he and Felicity, had decided not to reveal his dad’s true secret identity to Mia. As a precaution.

Felicity wanted to him study more, ensure he had a future outside of this little bubble of secrecy and lies and protection. As a precaution.

They would remain Smoak’s as a precaution.

It had broken Will’s heart to change his last name. But he knew he had to do it. As a precaution.

The woman stepped forward, her hands placed behind her back. The posture sent a course of ache and longing through him, his mind recalling seeing his dad standing exactly like that.

“I was trained by Ras Al Ghul. My father led millions of warriors. Your father was one of them.” Her eyes were wistful, yet hardened with respect. “I shall do everything I can to ensure you two will be as well discipline and skilled as he was.”

Mia shifted in his arms, her hand still clutching his jacket. “You knew daddy?”

Nyssa smiled. “Yes, I did.” She shot their mom an amused look. “He and I were… bonded.”

“Nyssa.”

The woman’s lips curled into a smirk before she turned her attention back to Mia and William. “When would you like to begin?”

Mia grinned. “Now?”

Nyssa turned to William. “And you?”

Will looked to Felicity, seeing and recognizing the concern and fear that clouded her blue eyes. He looked down at his sister, her head tipped back so she would meet Nyssa’s eyes. He remember what his dad told him, told them, just before he left.

_Take care of each other._

His shoulders set back, his spine straightening. As he met Nyssa Al Ghul’s dangerous dark eyes, he felt a weight settle on his shoulders.

“I’m ready.”

*

There was knock. Will turn away from the computer in his room.

“Hey, don’t you think it’s time to take a break? Mia and I made brownies.”

At 21, he’d always thought he’d be living a life far greater and more accomplished than the one he had now. Looking at a more wrinkled Felicity, with laugh lines more prominent around her eyes, a part of him was grateful he wasn’t.

He clicked the space bar, locking his computer before standing up from his desk chair, body still aching from Nyssa’s training session today. As he made his way over to his stepmom, arm reaching to wrap around her shoulder, he felt calmer and more in control than he’d been an hour ago.

She didn’t ask what he was working on, though he suspected she knew.

“Mom! Will!”

“Gosh, she is so impatient.” Felicity moaned, teasingly. “I wonder where she got that from?”

They both knew and shared a secret look.

It had hurt in the beginning to talk about Oliver. But as Mia got older, and more and more questions were asked, speaking about Oliver Queen became easier. It hurt them still, Felicity probably the most, but she spoke about dad freely, and lovingly, wanting Mia to know and understand that though he isn’t here, he lived on through them.

They entered the kitchen and wide green eyes met his. “Will! C’mon it’s getting cold.”

A small hand fit into his, tugging him away from Felicity.

“Here. I made you these special.” Mia pushed a plate of brownies with a misshapen heart constructed of sprinkles. “Eat it! Eat it!”

Felicity chuckled, taking a place on the other side of the counter, grinning as Will took a big bite from the brownie, moaning dramatically. “Oh! These are so good!” He looked to his kid sister. “And you made these?”

Mia nodded wildly. “Yup!”

“No! I don’t believe that.”

“I did!”

Will shook his head. “These brownies are way too good. I call lies.”

Mia opened her mouth, but she was cut off with an, “okay, you two.” Felicity shook her head, reaching over to brush away some crumbles on the corner of Will’s mouth. “Eat and be merry.”

Will grinned, shooting Mia a wink, causing her to let loose a stream of giggles.

*

Will ducked as Nyssa swung at him, blocking every strike. His heart hammering against his ribcage, trapped and exhilarated. He kicked at Nyssa, who spun away, dropping into a roll to retrieve a sword. Will reached behind him, extracting the bo-staff.

He moved in time with Nyssa.

He twist and turned, his body moving fluidly. He recalled the proud look on Mia’s face as she watched from the sidelines with Felicity. The idea that he could be one step behind her, leaving her vulnerable, had him pushing himself harder and harder.

In a blur of consecutive moves, Will had Nyssa’s sword out of her hand, kicked away, out of her reach, his bo-staff separated, but without the dangerous and pointy spears on the each end, he had her on the floor, the end of his staff pointed over her heart.

A beat followed with both of them panting.

Nyssa looked up at him. “Well done.”

Will moved away from her, hand reaching for her to take it which she did. He looked up, lips curling into a grin when he saw the look on Mia’s face, smug and proud. He winked and she lifted a fist, pressing it against her heart.

Felicity didn’t smile. She looked at him with a stern expression. Her shoulders weren’t as slumped as they had been when he’d started this training session, but they held a stiffness in them. His stomach churned with worry.

He nodded to his step – his _mom_.

She inhaled and nodded back.

*

“You’re leaving?”

“I’ll be back. I won’t be leaving now.” Will sighed.

Mia glared at him. “No, you’ll just be leaving in three months.” She stood up and stormed off, her boots thudding like rumbling thunder as she made her way down the hall. The door slamming practically shook the cabin.

Will looked down, his heart aching. He moved to take Mia’s spot, his arm brushing against Felicity’s. He feared looking at her, having caught a glimpse of the resigned expression that dimmed her features. She’d known. She’d suspected all along.

“I’m sorry, Feli—“

“No.” A hand grabbed his.

Will looked up, his heart finally breaking as he traced the tears which ran down her cheeks. She took a deep breath and gave him a smile so wide and encouraging, Will felt his spirits slowly rise.

“You have nothing to apologise for.” She looked at him. “I am so proud of the man you have become, William. Every second of every day, I look at you and I am in awe of the person that stands before me, of the person I get to call my son. You have started something amazing, and you deserve the chance to go out into the world and make something of it.”

Felicity nodded as she said this, as if to reaffirm her words, to chase away lingering doubts. “You just have to promise me that you’ll keep in touch. That you will let me know how you are doing, any time you can.”

Will nodded. Sniffing and unashamed of the tears that pooled in his eyes. He reached over, wrapping Felicity in her tight hug. “Thank you for understanding.”

She held him fiercely. “Of course.”

Burying his face in her shoulder, Will uttered, “I love you, mom.”

He felt Felicity’s sob wrack through her body. “Oh, I love you so much, William.”

Felicity was his mom. She didn’t replace his other mom, she didn’t try to. She welcomed memories of Samantha Clayton, allowing William to talk about her. She sat with William every night on the anniversary of his mom’s death and held him, allowing memories of the woman who loved him and raised him to be shared between the two.

Felicity Smoak took him into her arms and her heart without seconds thought the day he’d moved into her and Oliver’s home. She loved him and cared for him the seconds he stepped over the threshold.

He remembered saying to Oliver that he would be okay, because he had Felicity.

And that remained to be true years later.

Later that night, he knocked on Mia’s door.

“Go away.”

“Years have passed, sis. You aren’t getting rid of me.” He joked back.

There was a pause. “Fine.”

With a sad smile, he stepped into her room. It held various tokens of all the stages of her life. Her walls weren’t covered in posters as his had been, but small glow in the dark stars decorated her draws, a dream catcher and wind chimes hung above her windows, small jingles drifting through her silent room by the gentle breeze outside. On her nightstand sat various pictures, of her and William, of her, mom and William, of her, William and Nyssa.

He looked at her. She was seated on her bed, her legs drawn up to her chest, her arms wrapped around her starfish plush toy their dad had given to her. She never asked much about dad now, but he saw the wonder in her eyes when she heard Nyssa mention their dad, heard the tone in her voice when mom off-handily compared her to dad.

Taking a seat on the edge of her bed, facing her, Will waited.

It took a while, as it always did with Mia.

“You’re just like him.”

That hurt. “Mia—“

“You are leaving, just like he did.”

“He didn’t leave us, Mia. He—“ He stopped. It hurt, taking about dad with her, especially when he knew everything he said will be twisted in her mind, forced to fit an image he and Felicity knew she had about the man they called dad.

“Right.” Mia scoffed, her curls curtaining her face as she ducked her head.

“Mia…” He shifted closer, moving to touch her knee. She didn’t jerk away from the touch and he continued. “I am not leaving you. I will keep in touch, I promise. We still have time together.”

“Lucky us.” She glared at him with green eyes. “Why did you never tell me you wanted to leave? You made it seem like you were going to be here, and now, all of the sudden you’re telling us that you have been working on a programme that could be revolutionary and that you need to continue studying elsewhere.”

“I didn’t know if I was going to leave back then. I was just working on it, seeing where it would take me.” He paused, gathering his thoughts before saying. “I wasn’t planning on leaving. I didn’t start working on this thing with the intent of leaving home. But in order for this thing to work, I need to leave. But that doesn’t mean I am leaving you.”

“Yeah? And why should I trust you?”

“Because I am your brother. Because I love you and nothing in this world will ever change that. Our love are stars, remember.” He gave her a smile, head ducking to see the corner of her lips tugging up. “And no matter where we are, as long as a star twinkles in the sky, our love will never die.”

A wet laugh escaped Mia. She always said the line was cheesy. The smile brightened her expressed for a second before it faded. Her green eyes were glimmering with tears. “Promise me, you won’t disappear.”

“I promise.” He stared into her eyes.

Lifting a hand, he turned his palm and waited for her to curl her hand around his. With their hands clasped, they leaned forward and bumped foreheads. Will closed his eyes and exhaled, biting back his tears.

*

“Mia found out the truth.”

Will froze.

“She left, Will.”

*

“Felicity gave me this when I left.” He lifted the Hōzen. “It symbolizes re-connection. I am hoping that, wherever this leads me to, I will find my sister.”

*

When he came to, a blurred out visage of curly blonde hair and bright green eyes met him.

His heart soared when he heard her voice.

“Wakey-wakey, money bags.”

His lips, which had been in the midst of spreading into a smile was cut off by a hard punch to the jaw. He grunted at the impact, his chair and body twisting from the force.

“Long time, no see, Big Bro.”

He sighed, turning in his head as he looked up. She looked exactly the same, her face more angular and sharp, her expression more stern but he knew her.

Warmth and relief flooded him. “Hey, sis.”

**Author's Note:**

> Title from Avril Lavigne - Keep Holding On.


End file.
